1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stator for rotary electric machines.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 13 of Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-206057 shows a stator for rotary electric machines comprising a stator core which includes an annular yoke and a plurality of magnetic pole sections protruding from the annular yoke toward a centerline of the yoke, a plurality of winding portions formed of a winding conductor wound around the magnetic pole sections of the stator core, and a slot insulator which is made of an insulating resin and mounted on the stator core in order to provide electrical insulation between the stator core and the winding portions. The slot insulator includes a plurality of connecting wire engaging hooks which are located at and integrally formed with one of ends thereof, and disposed at certain intervals in a circumferential direction thereof. A connecting wire, which is formed of a part of the winding conductor extending from the winding portions, is engaged with the plurality of connecting wire engaging hooks. The plurality of connecting wire engaging hooks are respectively formed to respectively protrude toward a slot between adjoining two of the plurality of magnetic pole sections. With this arrangement, when inserting a nozzle for winding a winding conductor into the slot between the adjoining two magnetic pole sections of the plurality of magnetic pole sections in order to wind the winding conductor around the plurality of magnetic pole sections, the connecting wire engaging hooks near the slot disturb the nozzle's operation, thereby restricting the movement of the nozzle. As a result, in the conventional arrangement, there is a limitation in increasing a volume occupied by the winding portions in the slot.
FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-206057 shows a slot insulator which includes a plurality of wall portions, for guiding the connecting wire along the annular yoke, disposed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the yoke. On outer wall portions of the wall portions, a plurality of protrusions protruding outwardly in a radial direction of the yoke are disposed to prevent the connecting wire from coming off.
However, in the slot insulator configured as shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-206057, the connecting wire has to be arranged along an outer surface of the plurality of wall portions for guiding the connecting wire. As a result, there are some problems that when disposing the wiring wire, the movement of the nozzle becomes intricate, and the connecting wire becomes rather long.